1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma vapor deposition apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inline plasma vapor deposition apparatus which can form a high-quality film with a high degree of efficiency and is useful for forming a multilayered film.
2. Description of the Related Art
A high-quality thin film and a multilayered film have been researched and developed along with the rapid development of technical innovations in such areas as electronics and optoelectronics.
For the purpose of forming such a thin film, various methods including vacuum vapor deposition, sputtering and plasma vapor deposition have been considered, and some of these methods have already been put into practice.
Among these methods, sputtering is known for its excellent productivity, and high-frequency excitation, particularly plasma vapor deposition based on plasma excitation using coil-shaped electrodes is, on the other hand, known to impart excellent properties, such as uniformity and adhering strength, to the film.
According to these conventional methods, however, forming a quality and high-performance film is not always compatible with achieving high productivity. It has, therefore, been very difficult to form liquid crystal cells with high productivity, and to form a multilayered film continuously.
The sputtering method, for example, is deficient in that it cannot be used, without difficulty, to uniformly distribute film-forming substances on a substrate or to achieve a uniform chemical composition of a film, and pinholes and film deterioration occur easily. Therefore, plasma vapor deposition has given rise to higher expectations.
Plasma vapor deposition, however, requires taking greater care than in sputtering as to the exciting means and creation of a vacuum which govern the formation of the plasma and as to the handling of the vapor source materials. Accordingly, it has not been easy to adopt such a method as a continuous process achieving high productivity.
The present inventor has proposed, for example, a plasma vapor deposition apparatus having a plurality of vapor deposition sections partitioned with electromagnetic shielding plates, arranged in succession (Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-21109). Even this apparatus, however, has limits on the formation of a high-quality film with a high degree of efficiency. It cannot be used to form a multilayered film.